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Henry Winkler made sure that the Fonz taught viewers something important about themselves
We can't all be as cool as the Fonz. But with Henry Winkler playing the character, we can certainly find something cool in ourselves.
If you're a television lover, chances are you'll find yourself watching a sitcom from time to time. Sitcoms are practically an institution in our society. Whether centered around a family or a workplace, sitcoms provide an opportunity to entertain audiences in familiar surroundings. As an audience, we watch characters on our screen, but with the best shows, we also feel that we know them in real life.
Like any good artist, Henry Winkler didn't exactly design a road map when he was preparing to play the Fonz on Happy Days. While Winkler had earned his right to play the character after his audition, it was his job as an actor to take a character that he only knew from a script and turn him into a full-fledged human being. With that pressure, Winkler was able to create a diamond.
"I didn't know I was creating this at first, this character," said Winkler during an interview with The Chicago Sun-Times Service. "The Fonz is what we all wish to be. There are sides to The Fonz that I would want to be in my life - except that it's not feasible. It's not who I am in my soul, it's not what gets along in this world."
Winkler ensured that not only did the Fonz entertain viewers, but that they also turned off their television sets having learned something important about self-esteem.
"What I try to show in The Fonz is that a lack of self-assurance does not have to stifle one's life," said Winkler. "I also know that self-respect is the cornerstone of joy. Without being cocky about it, possession of one's self is strength - there is nothing stronger in the world, not a diamond or anything."
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